This invention is generally directed to services provided to subscribers in a telecommunication system, and is more specifically directed to the ability of subscribers to utilize services subscribed to on a home line or business line while physically communicating in a different location.
Modern telecommunication systems offer subscribers a variety of services. An example of such services includes, but is not limited to, selective ring tones, voice messaging, caller identification, call waiting, 3-way calling, privacy management, etc. Normally such subscribed to features are only available when the subscriber utilizes a subscriber line, e.g. the subscriber's home or business telephone line, to which such features are associated. Therefore it is appropriate to view such conventional services as being deployed for a specific telephone line, as opposed to being associated with a specific subscriber.
A mechanism for associating subscribed to services with the subscriber instead of a subscriber line is provided in U.S. Pat. No. 5,574,780 that is directed to “Control of Call Features Provided to a Subscriber by a Hierarchical Telecommunication Switch”. A personal identification number (PIN) of the calling party (subscriber) is utilized by a hierarchical switch to locate an associated record that defines call features subscribed to by the calling party. This requires the calling party to enter his PIN each time communication services are sought.
It is annoying for subscribers who rely on optional call related services available from their normal subscriber line to be denied such services when temporarily utilizing a different subscriber line. Where the subscriber's normal subscriber line and the temporarily used line are both served by the same service provider, the same service provider has already been compensated for providing the services. Thus, there exists a need for a solution that will permit a subscriber temporarily using a different subscriber line to obtain the optional call related services normally available to the subscriber from their normal subscriber line.